- ≡ Uncinia distans Colenso ex Boott in Hooker, Bot. Antarct. Voy. II. (Fl. Nov.-Zel.) Part I, 286 (1853)
- ≡ Uncinia leptostachya var. distans (Colenso ex Boott) Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 309 (1864)
- = Uncinia nelmesii Hamlin, Trans. Roy. Soc. New Zealand, Bot. 2: 127-128 (1963)
Tussock-forming, very light green. Culms (25)–30–45–(55) cm. × 0.5 mm., slightly scabrid above; basal sheaths light brown or reddish, occ. enclosing the culm for more than half its length. Lvs 4–7 per culm, < = or > culms, 1.5–2–(3) mm. wide, sharply scabrid on margins, slightly scabrid on upper surface towards tip. Spikes (4)–5–12–(14) cm. long, often bracteate, lowermost glumes occ. lf-like and much > spike, male portion relatively long, female fls c. 10–20, ± distant, internodes 6–12 mm. long below, 2 mm. long above. Glumes < utricles, deciduous, acute, lower 2–3 acuminate and often produced to a scabrid awn, membr., green. Utricles 5.5–9 mm. × c. 1 mm., plano-convex, narrow-oblong, light green or light brown, distinctly nerved, beak 1.5–2 mm. long, narrow, with scabrid margins and occ. a few teeth on the abaxial surface, stipe 1.5–2 mm. long, narrow.
[From: Moore and Edgar (1970) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 2. Uncinia distans Colenso ex Boott]